BCCI Wants South Africa Tour Delayed, Decision By Sunday Likely: Sources
NDTV
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set a deadline of Sunday to decide on the fate of the Indian men's cricket team's upcoming tour of South Africa, sources have informed NDTV.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has set a deadline of Sunday to decide on the fate of the Indian men's cricket team's upcoming tour of South Africa, sources have informed NDTV. The future of the tour, which begins with the first Test match in Johannesburg from December 17, has been under question ever since the spread of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron. It has been learnt that the board has asked for some time from Cricket South Africa (CSA) to discuss the matter internally. Sources have informed NDTV that under the current circumstances, BCCI could ask CSA to delay the series. India are scheduled to play three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is as part of the tour.
The 10-match tour is worth around R 700 million (South African Rand), roughly 330 Cr INR.
The heavily-mutated Omicron variant of the coronavirus was last month identified in South Africa, where cases reportedly doubled within 24 hours on Wednesday.
The Omicron variant has reached as many as 24 countries, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Many countries have responded to the situation by issuing travel curbs on visitors from southern African countries, a move that has been criticised by South African president Cyril Ramaphosa as "unjustified and unfairly discriminate".
